Flavours to expect

“A new beer showing that traditional blonde beers need not be bland.”

Here we see the familiar craft beer trope – take a classic European pale ale and stick some fruity American hops in it – applied to a Belgian beer. These typically have a more in-your-face yeast character than British beers, so there’s more for the hops to compete with – or play with, if it goes well. Along with the usual coriander and Belgian yeast flavours in this beer, the flavours from the hops in this beer are:

Citra: mango, tropical fruit, lime

Summit: pink grapefruit, orange

Food pairings

I’m continuing with the xmas indulgence theme for my food pairings this week. Get yourself a massive cheese and charcuteries board and have at it. This beer, with it’s fruity tropical hop character, should stand up pretty well to some moderately flavoured cheeses, and even a touch of spice in the meat if that’s what you like.

Not too long ago I enjoyed some Regeasticks – snacking salamis made by Moons Green charcuterie on the Kent/Sussex border, which contain cranberry, scotch bonnet pepper, spices and herbs. I reckon they’d go down a real treat with this. You can get them from Borough Market’s Canon & Canon.